Employee Benefits

7 Strange Symptoms That Might Mean You’re Not Feeling Well

21 June 2017

Some physical discomfort we feel could be a temporary thing, but others could signal a serious health condition.

Seemingly innocent things like snoring in your sleep or a habit of munching on ice may not come across as something serious to you, but these could actually be indicators of underlying health issues. Here’s how simple habits and occurrences might turn out to be more than just that.

1. Chewing & chomping ice

Have you noticed yourself constantly craving ice, to the point that you feel like you need to crunch on it to get through the day? This craving for non-food items is also known as pica, and when it comes to ice in particular, studies have found that it could be a sign of iron deficiency. While munching on ice doesn’t actually supply the red blood cells that you need, it helps to give you a mental boost, similar to how a cup of coffee helps keep you energised. Don’t fret too much if you find yourself doing this on hot days – but if you’re sitting down with a cup of ice every day, it may be worth it to pay the doctor a visit. Your doctor can prescribe iron supplements or injections to help get your iron levels back up and stop the fatigue that typically accompanies this condition.

2. Beyond bad breath

If you find yourself plagued by bad breath no matter how often you brush and gargle, it might be a sign of gingivitis. When long-term plaque builds up on your teeth and hardens into tartar, your gums become swollen and infected with bacteria. The bacteria are what causes the unpleasant smell emanating from your mouth. While bad breath may be fairly common and can be combated with good oral hygiene, gingivitis requires consultation and treatment from an oral practitioner. When left untreated, gingivitis could be aggravated to inflame, causing periodontitis – infection of not only the gums but the bones and ligaments that support the teeth.

3. Dark coloured urine

Not everyone bothers to check what their urine looks like, but it’s actually a good idea to do so! If you notice dark yellow or amber-coloured urine when you go to the washroom, it could be an indication of dehydration issues. While the answer is simple: drink more water – some may assume that any drink is fine and load up on sugary or caffeine-filled drinks, which would bring more harm by causing high blood sugar levels if taken too much.

Should healthy urine be clear, then? The answer is no. The best shade is a transparent yellow, as clear urine could be a result of over-hydration which means essential salts and electrolytes have been diluted. This could lead to chemical imbalance in your blood. While over-hydration rarely has serious health effects on your body as compared to dehydration, it is still good to be aware that it could happen.

4. Itching & Scratching

If you find yourself always scratching parts of your body to the point it hinders your daily functions, try to find out what is really causing it. There could be two reasons for your itchiness: dry skin, or an allergic reaction. Dry skin is easily identifiable from how taut and flaky your skin may be.

Pinpointing itchiness caused by an allergy might be a little tricky as it could be a reaction to your skin coming into contact with the irritant (such as clothing, pets, or soaps) or food allergies, i.e. something you could have eaten. The best thing to do is to consult your doctor and get a prescription to ease the itch while also monitoring when and how it comes about, so you can cut the itch culprit out of your life.

5. Cracked or chapped lips

Dry lips are an issue many of us are familiar with and we often shrug it off as not drinking enough water. However, cracks around the corner of your mouth could mean that you have a yeast infection – and while drinking water does help, you need to ensure that you avoid licking them as this would just make the infection worse. Cracked lips could also mean that you’re taking in too much Vitamin A, which may result in excessive calcium build-up in your body.

6. Puffy eyes

If your eyes are always swollen and you keep wanting to rub at them to alleviate itchiness, it is likely a sign that you are having an allergic reaction. Your immune system is probably reacting to allergens in the air like pollen, dust and even certain eye drops. While a good rest should help, if you start to feel like there’s something stuck in your eye, or your vision blurs, it would be wise to get it checked out as it could signal a more serious infection.

7. Can’t sleep from the snoring

Jolting awake from hearing snores that come from yourself sounds like something that only happens in comedies – but it could actually happen to you. If you notice yourself waking up a few times a night because of snoring and breathing issues, this could mean that you have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). This could then cause the quality of your sleep to drop as it is regularly interrupted by your waking periods. If you feel tired throughout the day despite sleeping early, you may not realise that you’ve been waking up at night thanks to OSA. And while not everyone who has OSA snores, you can easily clear things up by getting a professional diagnosis from your doctor.

While all of these sound like common, easily cured symptoms, it is always best to get your symptoms checked out so you can put your mind at ease. In fact, it’s a good idea to go for annual check-ups as your health should always be prioritised. Doing so can also help you identify minor issues before they turn into full-blown ones, so if you’ve not had a health check in over a year, now would be a good time to make an appointment.

If you are an AIA Vitality member, you’re entitled health check-ups at BP Healthcare at up to 50% off. Find out more here.